


Affection Comes in Many Forms

by orphan_account



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Florist Garth, Fluff and Humor, Gay, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tattoo Artist Kaldur, Tula is a wingman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2020-09-06 10:53:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20290267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Garth is working in his family's flower shop. He sweeps, takes orders, and occasionally crush on the boy who works across the street at the tattoo shop, Shayeris' Tattoos, and Piercings. Tula tries to be a wingman... this will go well.





	1. Congrats, You're a Florist!

BRING! BRING! BRING!

Garth groans, forcing his eyes to open and adjust to the darkness that shrouded his small room, making dark things look darker. No light peeked in through the blinds of his windows, so he placed the call around three-ish in the morning. His phone rang loudly, the screen illuminating. Tula... Goddamnit Tula. He didn't even need to look at the photo to know it was her. He picked the stupidest ring tone, the song that accompanied the cat that flies in space. She was always into that cute stuff. He rolled onto his side and grabbed his phone off of his nightstand. 

"Hello?" Garth asked in a groggy voice, falling back onto his back. 

"Garth! Did you get my message from yesterday?" Tula's voice was still as bouncy as ever, even in the buttcrack of dawn, "About the new tattoo shop?" 

"I don't remember... Why did you call me at three o'clock in the morning?" 

"Becaaauuuse I want you to come with me!" Tula dragged out the 'because,' "I need emotional support. It's my first tattoo!"

"Oh yeah... Well, my parents wanted me to help out in their shop... They're going to be paying me..."

"Please? It's right across the street!" 

"I'll ask them... Later... I'm still half awake..." 

"Okay! I'll call you around seven!" 

"Okay... Bye" 

Garth ended the call and closed his eyes. Oh Boy.

_______________

"Garth! I need those Peonies, sweety!" Mera called from the front room, where she was setting up some rows of flowers and making a small display. Arthur was behind the counter, looking over a planner of dates and orders. Garth brought a small basket from the back, setting it down next to Arthur, who narrowly avoided a small spray of dark flower water. 

"Here ya go, mom!" Garth smiled, wiping his hands on his leggings, carefully avoiding his new skirt. Yeah, he had an apron on, but they were sort of thin. 

"Garth, honey, why don't you change your skirt? It's new, and it's bound to get dirty." Arthur asked, a concerned look fluttering across his face. Garth straightened himself and fixed his apron.

"I wanted to wear it today. I think it's fitting, too, It's got flowers!" He pointed to the pattern adorning it. 

Arthur chuckled, "You are a bundle of sunshine today, aren't you?" 

Garth smiled and nodded, "Tula wants me to go with her to the tattoo shop across the street. She's getting a tiger shark on her hip." 

Mera hums, "She was always the wild card, huh?" 

"Yeah, so can I go with her? To make sure she doesn't go crazy with the tattoo?" Garth smiled softly.

"Sure, it's just across the street, just come back to do the chores after." Mera took the basket of flowers off of the counter and kissed Arthur on the cheek in the process. 

"Thanks, mom!" Garth smiled and went into the back again to get the broom. He should start on the chores now so he could have a smaller workload later. Garth took the broom and dustpan out to the storefront, where some litter and leaves have collected over the weekend. He let the bristles gently brush the sidewalk, collecting the trash and making it into a small pile.

"Excuse me?" A deep voice asked suddenly. Garth hadn't noticed he was looking down. 

He looked up. His breath stuttered slightly. My lord was this man attractive. He was the exact description of tall, dark, and handsome, and he was muscles. Two twin eels curled around his biceps, showing very nicely in his muscle-tee. Slap on a pair of dark jeans and some more ink and you've got this man, who seemed the same age as he. College-age.

"Oh, hi! What can I do for you?" Garth smiled, blushing slightly.

"Do you know where the nearest coffee shop is? I need to get some before we open." 

"You have a shop?" 

"No, I work with my parents at the tattoo shop." He points to the tattoo shop across the street. Shayeris Tattoos and Piercings. 

"Oh, cool! Well, the coffee shop is a block from here. It's called Gotham Coffee and Sweets." Garth points west of where they stood. 

"Okay, thanks!" The man paused for a second, "Do you work here? At the flower shop?" 

Atlantis' Flower Shop..., "Yeah, I work with my parents. My name is Garth if you ever stop in."

"My name is Kaldur if YOU want to come in," he chuckles softly. 

Garth nodded and Kaldur pulled away to retrieve some coffee. Garth watched him leave, a small smile brushing over his face. See you soon.


	2. Tattoo Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tula gets her tattoo, and she begins her mission as a wingman

"Sweetheart, you've been sweeping the curve for a while now." Arthur leaned against the front door, watching his son with a confused eye as Garth lazily swept the small pile back and forth with a stupid smile stitched on his face. A fine blush was creeping up to his ears, and if he got close enough, he could swear Garth was giggling softly. Arthur smiled. Whoever made his son react this way, he wanted to know. For all he knew, he could just be thinking about something random, but he doubted it. He could identify his son crushing on someone from a mile away. 

"Hm?" Garth glanced up from the small pile, his smile fading from stupid too small. His blush faded as well, finally getting its wits. 

"You've been out here for a while now." Arthur smiled softly, "Are you okay?" 

Garth laughed and waved his hand, his ears tinting deep red, "No, no, I'm fine. I'm just thinking!"

"Thinking? About what?" 

"Well..." Garth swept the pile off of the curb, "This cute guy-"

"Boys! It's opening time!" Mera accidentally cut Garth off, calling out of the door and flipped the small sign from 'closed' to 'open' and set it on the window of the door. Arthur sighed, fixing the tie of his apron and brushing his hair back with his hands. 

"You tell me about that during lunch, okay son?" Arthur turned to Garth, taking the broom from his hands and walked inside, the door chime chirping softly. Garth hummed in response, looking out onto the street.

It's days like these that make Garth feel like a kid again. As he stared down the street, the shops began to bustle with people and running children, holding ice pops in their grubby little hands. A summer breeze fluttered through the open air, ruffling Garth's hair. He recalled the time when he younger. Around this time of year, he and Tula would spend all their time by the riverside, talking about stuff that came to mind. It began an era of him expressing himself, and Tula was very happy to help. She gave him tons of skirts, a lot of them he still has. She was the biggest supporter of his choices, and he is so happy she stuck around. She taught him the fine art of makeup, how to do his eyeshadow, etc. She is a phenomenal best friend. She always will be. Garth smiled warmly in thought. 

"Garth!" 

He turned around quickly and narrowly avoided being toppled over by the sheer strength of Tula's lunging hug.

"Hey, Tula!" Garth chuckled and hugged her tightly, "You sure are excited!"

"It's my first tattoo! Of course, I'm excited!" Tula practically bubbles, hopping on the toes of her canvas shoes. The sleeves of her oversized hoodie bob in response, "Hey, your eyeliner looks good!"

"Really? It took me a long time to do it! I'm always scared that I'm going to poke my eye." Garth chuckled, putting a hand on the back of his neck.

"I think we're all afraid of that!" Tula smirks, "Hey, is the shop open?" 

"Yeah, we just opened. Do you want some flowers?" Garth trot to the door, pulling it open.

"Mm-hm! I want to get a small bouquet for my mom. She's sick again." Tula entered the shop and was greeted with rows of baskets of different flowers. She walked through the different rows, stopping and looking at the pink roses, "Oooh! These smell lovely!"

"Pink roses, those are a dollar and fifty cents each," Garth pulled a small notepad out of the pocket of his apron, "How many were you looking to buy?" 

"Oh, maybe just ten. I still need to pay for my tattoo, after all." She said, gently running her fingertip over a delicate petal. 

"Normally, it would cost you fifteen dollars, but you're a friend, so it will only cost you ten dollars." Garth smiled, scribbling something down on a new page. Arthur spied them from the counter, tapping his pen on the counter as he set up the shop's laptop. He still needed to insert the information into their database. 

"All right! Can I pay now and pick up the bouquet after I get the tattoo?" Tula pranced up to the counter, mostly directing it at Garth, not Arthur, "Oh, hey Mr. Curry!"

"Hey Tula!" he smiled, "How are you?"

"I'm good! I'm buying some flowers for my mom. Can I have ten pink roses?" 

"Of course," Arthur plugged it into the cash register, "That will be ten dollars." 

Tula handed a ten over the counter, "I'm going to be stealing your son for a bit."

"Just make sure he isn't out too late, okay?"

"Okay!" Tula smiled, signing her name in the notebook of appointments. After that, she went back to where Garth still stood. He was taking ten roses out of the small basket, and placing them carefully into a small glass vase. He moved the vase and placed it in the back. 

"We're heading out, I'll be across the street if you need me!" Garth called as they turned to leave. Mera popped her head out of the back and gave him a thumbs up. She was on the phone. 

Tula took his hand, leading him out of the door and skipping happily across the street. "Come on!"

Garth chuckled, looked both ways like the smarty he is, and crossed the street. The shop was open, and Tula pulled the door open. Garth took the door handle from Tula and entered in behind her.

The shop was interesting, to say the least. The front desk blocked the left side, and a strong man flipped through a magazine. The chairs were simple leather chairs, and the rug had an intricate rectangle design. Framed pictures of their tattoos were hanging on the wall. There were a few pictures of a leg, one with eels, another with a cartoonish shark, and another with a blue tang. Garth stared in awe.

"Hello! What can I do for you, ladies?" The man called from the desk, setting his magazine down. Tula snorted, and Garth blushed, embarrassed. 

"Well, I'm here to get a tattoo, and my friend is here for emotional support. He owes me." Tula shrugs. Garth trots up next to her, laughing. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir! Well, what were you thinking about the tattoo?" the man hops his attention from Garth to Tula in an instant.

"I was thinking about getting a tiger shark on my hip. Just a small one."

The man nods, "Can do, let me just see if my wife is available. I don't know if you want my son working on it, he usually just sketches the tattoos." 

The man disappeared into a back room, where they could hear some chatting. Out came a woman Garth could only describe as Beyonce. Every fiber in her body was perfection. What was with this family and the beauty gene? 

"Hello, my husband said that you were interested in a tiger shark tattoo?" The tall woman leaned against the counter.

"Yeah, just a small one, maybe a few inches long." Tula makes a guess with her fingers. 

She nodded, "Okay. Why don't you and your friend come back and we can get started with the sketch?"

Tula and Garth are led back into a bigger room, where an illuminated table lay. A tall, dark figure is sat in a chair, and Garth's heart begins to beat. 

"Kaldur, you have a guest!" 

Kaldur looked up from a sketch he was working on and smiled. He met Garth's eyes and smirked, "Hey, Garth!"


	3. Pen Heart on My Wrist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Garth has a hard time keeping his eyes on his phone. Tula gets her mission

"You guys know each other?" Tula asked slowly, sitting down across from Kaldur while Garth stood by the door, completely stunned. His heart was pounding. He was highly thankful for the dark lighting because he could feel his face turning bright red. Kaldur kept a hold on him with his whole being, his eyes being warm and inviting, while his body communicated dominance, but caring, rolled into one. He had changed his shirt, however, he hadn't lost his beauty. Everything was still perfect on him. Just thinking about this made Garth blush harder. Tula gave Garth a look. A look that was pure "Oh my god, you've got the hots for him!" Garth nodded, swiftly taking a seat next to her, still glancing at Kaldur. 

"We met a while ago," Garth brushed a piece of his hair, glancing down at the desk, "Nothing too drastic." 

Kaldur hummed, smiling warmly, "I successfully purchased my coffee, thank you. Now, about that tattoo."

Tula nodded, pulling some pictures out of her purse. 

Garth watched the two discuss some ideas, and having nothing to do, he just looked over Tula's arm, looking at what Kaldur has made up. He tried very hard to pay attention to the design, but he couldn't help it. He let his eyes wander back up to Kaldur. Oh dear lord, have mercy on him. Kaldur was very stunning, even from the light table's light. His features were scrunched with concentration and determination to make this an amazing piece. The way he bit his lip in focus made Garth smile. Something about him... Oh god. He probably sounds like a creep! Kaldur looked up from the sketch quickly, meeting Garth's eyes. He smiled softly, giving him a subtle wink. Oh, so they were going to play THAT game. 

"Okay, so like that?" Kaldur rotated the sketch pad to let Tula see the design he had come up with. 

Tula nodded, "It looks so cool! I like it!" 

Kaldur smiled, "I knew you would. Well, a small tattoo like this would cost you seventy dollars." 

Tula responds, "Only seventy? Wow, I thought it would be more!" 

Kaldur peeks at Garth, who has a timid look on him, "Well, it's not in color, and it is a small size." 

"Oh, cool! I'll take it!" Tula stands, stretching back and popping her back.

"Fantastic, I'll give the design to my mom and she'll be out to take you to one of our chairs." Kaldur smiled, leading them back to the waiting room, "You guys will be called back in a few."

"Oh, I'm not getting a tattoo, it's only her." Garth corrected.

"Of course, my bad, sir." he drew out the sir, taking a pen out of his jeans' pocket, "just let me correct that."

Garth had no idea what that meant but felt his face flush more when Kaldur took his wrist and made a small flower on the inside.

"Now you already have one." 

Garth laughed softly and took his wrist back, and when Kaldur went back, Garth made his way to sit beside Tula. 

She smirked at him, punching his forearm, "Oh my god, did I just see what I saw?"

Garth held his wrist up for her to see, where a small heart was drawn. Tula grabbed his arm, drawing it closer to get a better look. Garth chuckled, "It's not that big of a deal!"

"Not that big of a deal? Garth, you have the hots for him!" Tula whisper-shouted, "He drew a heart on you!" 

Garth blushed. 

The saving grace came in, her beautiful aura radiating through the room, "Miss? I'm ready to work if you are as well." 

"Oh yeah," Tula got up, "I'm ready." 

Tula and Garth followed her to the back, where a simple but lively setup lay. There was another desk a distance away from the chair, where Kaldur sat at. He was doodling something on a notepad. 

"Sir, you can sit at the table while I work on your friend." She waves towards the empty chair that sat across from Kaldur. He nodded, taking a seat at the table. Kaldur looked up from the pad. He smiled warmly. 

Tula laid back on the chair, lifting her shirt to her midsection so that Kaldur's mom could work. 

This was going to be an interesting time.


	4. Back To Kindergarden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who needs a face to face convo when you have a pen and paper

"So..."

God, he had no idea how to start this. He had debated even talking to Kaldur because he could see that he was busy. He thought about talking to Tula while she was being worked on, but she looked like she was focusing on not passing out, so he didn't try it. Kaldur's mom was doing a fantastic job in recreating the sketch that Kaldur had made. Though it was a simple shark, it had a lot of detail. Between the cross-hatching for the shadows, which Tula thought would look nice, and the shape of the shark, it was turning out very nice. Garth watched from his seat, entranced by the clean lines created. Staying quiet seemed like a good idea. 

A piece of paper came into contact with his line of sight, 'hi, how are you?' was written neatly at the top of the notepad. Garth smiled, taking a pen out of his apron's pocket and wrote back, 'I'm good, you?' Kaldur took the paperback, writing, 'I'm good... You are here.'

Garth turned pink, 'What is your favorite color?' 'I like all of them... But I do like yellow.'

'Ooh, see, I like pink, but blue comes in close. Yellow is pretty cool too. We have lots of yellow flowers at the shop.'

'How is working at a flower shop? Is it fun?' 'Totally, I love flowers. It's my form of art, you know?'

'I get it, it's like how my art is tattoos. Coffee or tea?'

'Coffee, iced. With mocha. Can't go without it. You?'

'Coffee, too' Kaldur smiled at him, drawing a small coffee cup next to his writing, 'How old are you?' 

'20, you?' '22. Not too bad, I hope, lol'

'Not bad at all! What was your favorite subject in school?'

'Art, obviously, you?' 'Art. I love art!'

'awesome! Are you free on Friday? I have a place I want to show you.'

'That seems kind of... Murder'

'oh no, not like that! I have a mural I'm working on, and I want you to be the first one to see it. Maybe a movie and dinner would be better?'

'As long as you don't kill me, I'm all for it. Yeah, I'm not working on Friday.'

'sounds good. Does 7 work for you?'

'totally!'

Garth smiled looking up from the paper. Kaldur looked at him, giving him a warm smile. 

"So it's a date?" Kaldur whispered, still gazing into Garth's soul. 

"I guess it is." Garth laughed, nodding.

Tula turned her head to look at the guys sitting at the table, grinning ear to ear. The tattoo was done, but Kaldur's mom let her collect herself before standing, "Oh my god."

Garth turned to look at her, "Oh boy."

"It's your first date!"

"Tula"

"My hermit is finally coming out of his shell!"

"TULA"

Kaldur simply laughed.


	5. Notice! From the Author!

So i've had this work going on for a while now, and i'm sorry to say it, but i'm going to be canceling this story. But do not worry! This story, and very soon many of my other series will be erased and made new, with better reading content! Keep an eye out of it!

-aquabee_13


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